STATE COLLEGE — Dane Mohap knew where he stood entering the final hole Tuesday at the PIAA Golf Championships.
The Nazareth golfer was a shot out of earning a Class 3A medal until he birdied the par-5 18th hole to grab a tie for ninth, his first state medal.
“I looked to see where I was around No. 13 and was T-8,” Mohap said. “I knew I had to probably get one more birdie [to medal]. I was just trying to make pars and birdie the last, which I did.”
Mohap moved into medal contention with a birdie on No. 12. A day after shooting 4-over-par 76 in blustery conditions, he shot 2-under 70 in Tuesday’s final round.
“I missed a lot of putts I should have made both days,” he added. “It was both speed and line, mostly speed with my lag putting both days.
“I struggled yesterday, but I bounced back today. I’m happy where I’m at right now.”
Moravian Academy’s Mara Dubacher is happy she battled the elements and her putting issues to finish tied for sixth in Class 2A girls, the senior’s best finish.
Dubacher shot 77-75 to earn her first state medal. She bounced back Tuesday after a bogey at No. 2 and a double bogey at No. 7 to make her lone bogey of the two days on No. 11. She did bogey No. 14, but finished with four consecutive pars.
“I felt like I didn’t attack those short, scorable holes,” she said. “But I did make some good par saves, so I was happy with that.”
Dubacher made a lengthy par putt on No. 6 and another on the par-3 12th to keep the momentum going.
“There were some nerves,” she said. “But I just wanted to end strong, give it all I had. I think I did that. I wanted to be able to look back in five, 10 years from now and know I did that.”
Southern Lehigh’s Lexi Miller earned her first state medal is a tie for 10th in 3A girls. She shot consecutive 76s, but played more steady Tuesday with 14 pars and four bogeys. She had five bogeys and a double bogey in Monday’s round.
She finished Tuesday with three consecutive pars to maintain her position.
“I had an idea that top 10 got medals but I didn’t really think I’d end with that,” Miller said. “I played a lot of competitive golf over the summer so then nerves don’t really get to me too much, only the first tee.
“My contact could have been better on the back nine today, and I didn’t make any birdie putts. But I think I played pretty well for the two days. I’ll take it.”
Recapping District 11
Class 3A boys (champion: Fox Chapel’s Carson Kittsley, 8-under 136)
Emmaus’ Evan Walters struggled after making birdie at No. 7. He doubled the ninth and 10th holes, followed by bogeys as 12, 13 and 15. The junior got one back at 16 to shoot 72-78 for a tied for 24th.
Teammate Kyan DeLong shot 83-76 for a tie for 54th. Northampton’s Derek Moyer fired 84-79 for 64th. Bangor’s Beau Thomas shot 87-82 for 70th place.
Class 3A girls (champion: Elizabeth Forward’s Mya Morgan, 3-under 141)
Emmaus’ Alexis Teichman shot 83-88 for 32nd place. a quadruple bogey on No. 8 came after five consecutive pars. Blue Mountain’s Delaney Walborn was 33rd after rounds of 87-87.
Class 2A boys (champion: Scranton Prep’s Cole Powell, 7-under 137)
All six competitors had better second days. Schuylkill Haven’s Alan Evans, the District 11 champion, was low with an even-par 72 after a first-round 80. He had two birdies and two bogeys on Tuesday to finish in a tie for 20th.
Tamaqua’s Sam Vinc, the Schuylkill League champion, shot 77-76 to finish tied for 23rd. Palmerton’s Jared Grammes was seven shots better on Tuesday with a 74 thanks to birdies on Nos. 4, 6 and 15. He shot 81 on Monday and was tied for 29th overall.
North Schuylkill’s Jude Maziekas (84-75) was tied for 43rd. Saucon Valley’s Renzo Ochotorena (82-79) was tied for 51st and Anthony Albano (86-81) was tied for 60th.
Class 2A girls (champion: St. Joseph’s Madison Koshko, 8-under 136)
Moravian Academy’s Katherine Anthony shot 85-85 to finish in 21st place. Northwestern Lehigh’s Avri Chandler bounced back from a first-round 93 to shoot 87 and finish 29th.
Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com
